A study in Bolivia showed that women who attended a literacy program were more likely to seek medical help for themselves and their children when needed. They were also more likely to adopt more preventive health measures, like immunization. A similar study in Nepal connected increased literacy to attitude shifts around family planning. Literate patients also have an easier time following instructions from their doctors, and literacy is a key benefit during a health crisis.
During the West African Ebola epidemic and the major Ebola outbreak in the DRC , being able to read meant the difference between life and death. We continue to see this now during the global COVID pandemic : With so much misinformation about the novel coronavirus, one of the best — and most cost-effective — responses we have is education, including educating our communities on prevention, symptoms, and what to do if they need treatment.
Posters, leaflets, and other materials have been created and shared in all 23 countries where Concern works , meaning that literacy is one of the key tools in keeping communities safe and healthy. Literacy and numeracy are a prerequisite for a broader education. Students who struggle to read often due to language barriers in the classroom are more likely to drop out of school before they can complete a basic education.
This can set off a vicious cycle: literacy rates increase as levels of completed schooling increase. For starters, it can help end it. Access to high-quality primary education and supporting child well-being is a globally-recognized solution to the cycle of poverty.
Think about it: When was the last time you learned a new skill? Or did something new for the first time? Chances are you learned that new skill or task because you could read instructions, books, or other resources to guide you through the process. When we have the confidence to read, we have the confidence to learn, both in and out of the classroom.
Literacy is a powerful tool against poverty. If all students in low-income countries had basic reading skills, million people could escape extreme poverty. Illiteracy comes at a high price. Currently, there are million people unemployed around the world. Many historians propose that written language emerged at least in part as a tool for maintaining power. Colonialism, imperialism, and the sprawl of anglo-european, male-centered ideology from the 15th Century onward have created global power structures that still dominate today.
Only relatively recently has literacy been expected or even possible for the vast majority of society. For centuries, people have lived, laughed, traded, communicated, and survived without being able to read and write.
Even today, though illiteracy can be a literal death sentence studies have shown that female literacy rates can actually be a predictor of child mortality rates Saurabh et al , it is most certainly a metaphorical one wherein the experiences had and contributions made by those so afflicted are devalued both by design and by conceit.
So what does this mean for our definition of literacy? At its simplest, literacy is the way that we interact with the world around us, how we shape it and are shaped by it. It is how we communicate with others via reading and writing, but also by speaking, listening, and creating.
In my work as the director of program innovation for LitWorld, I get to interact with young people all over the world and examine the idea of literacy from many different angles. Resources for literacy education differ dramatically from one place to another, as do metric taking procedures and general best practices. What does not change is the inherent drive for people to express themselves, to learn, and to grow.
I see the enthusiasm with which young people jump at the chance to share stories of themselves and of the world, to be listened to and to absorb. I also see firsthand the devastating effect of being told that your story, your community, and your culture do not matter.
I have witnessed the loss of confidence, the dwindling self-esteem, and the cycle of hopelessness that comes with the silencing of voices. Saurabh, S. International days and weeks are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity.
The existence of international days predates the establishment of the United Nations, but the UN has embraced them as a powerful advocacy tool. We also mark other UN observances. Skip to main content. Toggle navigation Welcome to the United Nations. Literacy for a human-centred recovery Narrowing the digital divide The COVID crisis has disrupted the learning of children, young people and adults at an unprecedented scale.
Empowering women in Chad through literacy and vocational training. New literacy strategy for youth and adults. The new five-year UNESCO Strategy for Youth and Adult Literacy has four strategic priority areas: Developing national literacy policies and strategies; Addressing the learning needs of disadvantaged groups, particularly women and girls; Leveraging digital technologies to expand access and improve learning outcomes; Monitoring progress and assessing literacy skills and programmes.
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